Mildura Weir pool to be lowered in July

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MEDIA RELEASE
                                                                   
12 March 2014
 
Mildura Weir pool to be lowered in July
 
Irrigators and other river users are being encouraged to prepare for the full drawdown of the Mildura Weir pool this winter, when new trestles with mechanised gates are installed at the weir.
The works will be carried out over three weeks starting mid-July. During this period, the river level will be lowered and Lock 11 closed to traffic.
MDBA head of River Management David Dreverman said the timing of the works was made after speaking with local community and industry groups.
“We’re very aware of the needs of the many river users so we’ve taken the advice of local tourism, industry, irrigation and other groups to do the works after the school holidays and before irrigation season has fully commenced,” Mr Dreverman said.
“The drawdown will take the water level in the Mildura Weir pool to about 3.6 metres below full supply level, depending on river flows.
“Mechanised gates will be a significant improvement to the existing method of adjusting the pool height and flow rates, which requires weir staff to manually install and remove large numbers of timber drop bars.”
Mr Dreverman said that once the trestles were replaced and the weir was reinstated, the weir pool would be raised back to full supply level in early August.
It is expected the weir will need to be drawn down again in winter 2015 for works that include repairing the concrete apron, which sits on the riverbed and supports the trestles.
The MDBA and Goulburn–Murray Water will issue further advice on this year’s works in the weeks to come.
 
ENDS